International filmmakers explore China

Beijing Normal University invited 100 college filmmakers from around the world to film in 10 different Chinese cities.

That was Corine Tiah. The young filmmaker from Singapore and 100 others from around the world came to China this summer to explore the country through their lens.

In this film project called “Looking China," participants were sent to 10 different cities to find -- and film -- their own Chinese story. What attracted Corine the most was Lanzhou beef noodle, a signature food in this northwestern city.

She not only filmed the making of the traditional Chinese noodle, but by living with a Chinese grandmother, learned the Chinese traditions behind the food.

Unlike Corine, Maya had a clear goal in mind before coming to China. She has been a fan of ancient Chinese poetry for years and wanted to make a film about it. Her destination is Xi'an, the ancient capital of the Tang Dynasty where outstanding Chinese poetry was created. She found that after more than a thousand years, the ancient poetry has been passed down from generation to generation.

Professor Huang Huilin founded the "Looking China" project five years ago. He insisted that a 17-day trip and a 10-minute film are the only restrictions for young artists.

"You can film anything you want, even societal problems. But none of the 100 films were about the dark side. All of them explore the good and beautiful part of this society, which I believe is a language that people from all over the world can communicate, because we share some of the same beliefs," Huang said.

Like Professor Huang said, this is not only a chance for foreigners to learn about China's culture and society, but also for Chinese people to rediscover ourselves.

Source: www.cctv.com